1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a phone for use in an airplane or motor vehicle and a cord rewinder for same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore various telephone receivers and cord rewinders for same have been proposed.
Examples of such devices may be found in the following U.S. Patents:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor(s) ______________________________________ 4,727,569 Kutrieb et al. 4,940,859 Peterson 4,946,010 DiBono 5,050,813 Ishikawa et al. 5,094,396 Burke 5,114,091 Peterson et al. 5,153,969 Arrendiell et al. 5,156,242 Ditzig ______________________________________
U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,569 of Kutrieb et al. relates to a Hardwire Airplane Telephone Apparatus which is mounted on an airplane food and beverage tray. A reel is mounted in the tray and is resiliently retained in a datum position such that the telephone cord connected to the handset is tightly wound and the second telephone cord is connected in the reel to the first cord and is loosely wound.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,859 of Peterson discloses a Telephone Cord Take-Up Reel Assembly which provides for a predetermined length of cord to be automatically reeled into the take-up reel housing. A metal reel spring shaped in the form of a coil is used to reel the cord into the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,010 by DiBono relates to a Telephone Cord Retraction Device which utilizes a retractable spool within a housing to permit tension on an extendable cord. This invention also utilizes a spring motor connected to the spool to facilitate one rotational direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,813 of Ishikawa et al. discloses a further Cord Retaining and Winding Device which uses a spiral shaped elongated body to house and store appliance cords. This Cord Winding Device is designed to permit extension of only a requisite amount of useable cord.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,396 of Burke relates to a Retractable Reel Assembly for a Telephone Extension Cord whereby a cord be wound and rewound in a radially and axially confined planar helical array. The retractable reel assembly in this invention also provides for the use of a ratchet for selectively restraining rotation of the reel in one direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,091 by Peterson et al. discloses a Dual Reel Cord Take-Up Device consisting of a dual reel spool assembly having a pair of axially secured winding hubs separated by a main spool disc. A coil spring is placed between the dual reels of the spool assembly via a spring locking key which radially biases the dual reel spool assembly about its axis to retract any slack in the cord.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,969 of Arrendiell et al. relates to a Cord Clasp which is used to hold together loops of an appliance cord. A coil spring is utilized to keep the cord surrounding portions together facilitating the use of several thicknesses of cord.
As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the rewinder of the present invention includes a constant force spring, which spring is engaged to a sliding reel within the rewinder. Further, when used with an arm rest mounted phone in an airplane or vehicle, the rewinder is proposed to be mounted to the receiver in end to end relation.